Improvement in picture frames and mats



L. BusHNELL. l `Picture Frames end Mats;

l Patented Sept.1,1874.

` Fig. 1.(

WITNESSES l INVENTOR Mb @fr 'B'.f/

' ATTORNEYS.4

4UNITEE STATES PATENT OFFICE LEONARD BUSHNELL, OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT' IN PICTURE FRAMES AND MATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,581, dated September 1, 1874; application filed February 28, 1874.

CASE A.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD BUSHNELL, of New Bedford', in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Frames or Mats; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figures l, 3, and 5 of the drawings represent my frames or mats in dierent stages of construction, while Figs. 2, 4, and 6, are sectional views of the same.

This invention has relation to the manufacture of picture frames or mats, in which the base or foundation of the frame or mat is composed of straw-board, paper-board, papiermache, or `a combination of any one or more of these materials with wood. ,The nature of my invention consists in constructing such frames or mats with suitable designs on their faces, molded in plaster or other suitable material in relief.

The following is a description of my invention:

The foundation of my frames or mats is composed of layers of straw board, paperboard, or of any kind of paper suitably glued or cemented together. If I make the foundation of papier-mache?, I can make it solid instead of using a number of sheets or layers.

In the annexed drawing, A designates the foundation of a mat, which is composed of any ofthe paper materials above mentioned, either solidly made or composed of layers glued together; and a designates the sight edge thereof, which may be elliptical or of any other suitable shape. This edge a may be beveled iiatly, or it may be rounded. Cloth or other suitable material is firmly cemented to the back surface of this foundation, for the purpose of preventing it from warping or twisting. Having prepared the foundation, I

ornament the entire face of the base, or a part thereof, by forming a molding in relief, as indicated at b, which molding may be in plaster, or of any other suitable material, and any ornamental ligure or figures may thus be attached to the sight edge'and the face of the mat.

The face of the mat may be painted in colors or covered with fancy paper or other handsome material, and the sight edge and ornamentation b may be gilded, which will give a beautiful appearance to the mats.

After the sight edges and the molding around the same are gilded, the faces A of the mats may be covered with thin sheets of veneer of some ornamental wood, which may be joined to the mat, or be detachable from it.

The advantages of my invention are, that an entire face may be used, and thus the expense and defects of joints are obviated. With my improved frames or mats the natural and continued shrinking of the foundation binds the ornaments more closely, which is not the case with wooden mats and frames.

Under this petition I do not claim a woodveneer face, combined with a foundation composed of the material described, as this forms the subject of a claim in an application made by me, and bearing even date with the liling of this.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A picture frame or mat provided with one or more raised ornamented moldings or designs in plastic material, formed substantially in the manner as described, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

LEONARD BUSHN ELL.

Witnesses:

BENJ. F. KING, FEEDK. S. STANTON. 

